The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Carpet Question

Can I get some comments from those who have installed carpet in their AD trucks (mine is a 49)

Did you use a pad?
Did you glue everything down?
What did you glue, pad, carpet or both?

I was thinking about gluing the pad, then gluing only the part of the carpet that runs up on the firewall. Then I was going to use velcro along the passenger side door sill (to keep access to the battery) and on the driver's side either more velcro or if the carpet goes that far, tuck it under the upper windlace retainer.

Also, has anyone tried using bulk carpet versus the precut, shaped, bound set? The surface is pretty flat except around the floor shifter and I also want to carpet the footwells ? (vertical areas in front of the doors)

Thanks

Not an AD - but we reworked the interior on my el camino - and I can address a couple of your questions. http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain/elco.html

We stripped the car bare - then layed in jute (that's your padding). Cut it to fit (with a little extra) then sprayed glue down on the floorboards (not the whole thing, just half of one side) then shot glue on the jute, let it tack. Now stick the glue side of the jute to the floorboard. Repeat process working out to the doors - now do the other side.

Carpet was basically the same - except that we did it in one piece. Worked from the center out - with glue now on top of the jute and on the bottom of the carpet. I would glue everything down - period.

If you need an access panel - you can just leave that area unglued and cut a couple of lines in the carpet - then do your velcro idea - now to access battery just lift a small section of carpet/jute and the rest stays in place.

I have not used the prefit stuff - ever.

We get carpet from an upholstery shop (do not use the stuff at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. - it won't flex correctly). It takes time to get over the humps and up into the corners - but you can do it.

Remember to make relief cuts (or sewn darts) to keep it from bunching up on a compound curve.

Hope this helps a little - best adivce I can offer is to make sure it is GLUED DOWN THOROUGHLY - you don't want it to creep on you....

- Ryan

Ryan, what kind of glue did you use? I plan to use #M's superadhesive spray to glue my jute to the floor. Not sure if this is good glue to glue the carpet to the jute.

That should be 3M, not #M.

That's the stuff I used (3m)- Jason (friend of mine) buys it in 3 gallon buckets and has a couple of guns just for shooting glue. I've tried the stuff in rattle cans and am just not impressed - I have also used Dap's adhesive years ago on sub boxes (stereo) and it was OK, but not as good as the 3m.

- Ryan

ryan - did you hem the carpet on the edges around the floor board? i don't believe there is anything to "tuck it under" along the firewall and kick panel areas on the ad trucks.

On my el camino I didn't need to (plenty of things to keep it in place). I can see how it would benefit though. Is there anything to tuck it up against? If so, you may be able to drop a piece of pinch weld in there.... I did that on the door posts with my tweed...

If you need to hem it - then MAKE DARN sure everything fits perfect before you hem - otherwise it will not line up correctly.

- Ryan

as for the kick panels - I would actually make them part of the floorboard piece if possible.

- Ryan

Dont forget to leave access to your brake cylinder.

i had not thought of making the kick panels a part of the same "cut" but sounds like a good idea. the "pre-molded" carpet i have seen does not go all the way back to the gas tank. i have my bucket seats sitting on plywood platform at this point. was going to pull everything out this summer (money permitting) and just cover the entire cab floor with carpet then carpet the platform separately before i reinstalled it.

We glued my carpet up the firewall to about halfway under the dash on the elco - worked great. We didn't do the kickpanels because I needed to access behind them after the carpet was installed, but have seen it done as one piece with the floor.

sounds like you have a good plan.
- Ryan

I've been looking into this for my 64 C10. I want carpet that goes from the firewall to the rear of the cab...under the fuel tank (which may end up being moved.) I called several different suppliers yesterday and most of them said that the carpet they supplied only went from the firewall to the front of the seat pedestal. This isn't what I'm looking for.

I DID have a conversation with ACC and I'm led to believe that their carpet kits may extand all the way to the back of the cab...except the woman I spoke with (or attempted to) had such a strong accent that I couldn't understand what she was saying. No, not a southern accent, either.

Anyway, I'd sure like to find a premolded kit that covers the entire floor. I've used ACC's stuff before and I've had good luck with it.

If ya know of a kit that goes all the way to the back of the cab, I'd sure like to know about it.

Thanks,